Water – The Elixir of Life – Sir C V Raman

In the essay ‘Water – The Elixir if Life’ Sir C V Raman praises the importance of water, which is the life giving force to all. The scientist says that man attempted to seek an imaginary elixir of life, the divine Amrita, to confer him immortality. But it ended in vain. According to him, water is the true elixir of life. One day he stood on the line that separated the Libyan Desert from the valley of Nile in Egypt. On one side he could see the Libyan Desert where there is no existence of life. It is a desert because of the shortage of water. On the other side he could see the fertile areas crowded with people. This remarkable difference is brought out by the Nile River from its source, till it flows down in to the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile River makes lands fertile and life happy and this magic is possible because of the availability of water.

Further, the author C V Raman speaks of the importance of the water stream or pond is a pleasing sight. The cattle quench their thirst from the stream or pond. South India is known for its rain fed tanks. When they are full they cheer us. But they are not maintained properly. They are shallow and often misused. If these tanks and ponds were not there, South India will be desert. Agriculture is not possible without water. If south Indian Agriculture is sound, it is because of the water in the tanks and ponds.

The sources of water reflects the mood of the hour, being bright ad gay when the sun shines, turning to dark and gay when the sun shines, and turning to dark and gloomy when the sky is overcast.  He says that water adds beauty to the countryside water in stream or pond is pleasing sight. South India is known for its tanks and ponds. In Mysore, rice is given in meal because of the presence of these tanks. Some tanks are unimaginable large. To see the sunrise and the sunset in them is a beautiful sight. He compares water in landscape to the eyes in human face. When the sky shines the water reflects the bright and gay sun. When the sky is overcast it looks dark and gloomy.

Thus the author C V Raman is trying to incorporate the idea of importance of water presence and how regular maintenance of tanks and water bodies can ward off the imminence of famines and shortage of food for millions. 

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